1988 Corvette Research

The Ultimate 1988 Corvette Database

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Everything You Want to Know About the 1988 Corvette, All in One Place.

The arrival of the 1988 model year brought with it the 35th anniversary of the Chevy Corvette. For General Motors as a whole, and especially for the teams of people responsible for the design and development of “America’s Sports Car”, this anniversary was significant not only because of the milestone it represented, but because the thirtieth anniversary of Corvette had passed with barely a whisper.

After all, the Corvette had turned thirty years old in 1983, and, because of engineering decisions that were made to support increasingly high emissions standards, Chevrolet had opted not to build an ’83 Corvette at all. The result was that Corvette had gone a decade without any type of anniversary special edition model to celebrate its ongoing successes.

So, for its 35th anniversary year, the Corvette was treated to a number of important engine and chassis upgrades. With Tony Rudd, Lotus’s former technical director, leading a team of design engineers in an engine development program to advance the L98’s overall performance, the 1988 Corvette would serve as a platform upon which his design advances could be utilized.

For 1988, the L98 received another five horsepower bump in power thanks to the addition of freer-breathing cylinder heads and a re-profiled camshaft.

Additionally, Chevrolet introduced a new, less restrictive muffler package for the 1988 model. Believed by many to be another possible cause for the horsepower bump, these new mufflers were introduced only on Corvette coupes that were fitted with the optional 3.07:1 performance axle.

1988 Corvette - The Ultimate Guide

A new tire/rim assembly was only offered as part of the Z51 and Z52 suspension package upgrades in 1988, the standard 16 x 8.5 inch rims were similarly updated, featuring a new six slot pattern that was mated to P255/50ZR-16 Z-rated tires. With the introduction of the higher performance tires to its platform, Corvette engineers wanted to ensure that they utilized the new tires’ greater durability while also developing better directional control of the Corvette during hard stops.

1988 C4 Chevrolet Corvette Model Guide

History, Specifications, VIN, Options, Performance, & More

1988 Corvette Special Editions

The arrival of the 1988 model year brought with it the 35th anniversary of the Chevy Corvette, so we saw an in-house special edition car produced. More exciting for 1988 though, was the work by Callaway on a tuned Corvette you could only describe as totally bananas.

1988 Corvette Challenge Car Series

The 1988 Corvette Challenge Series was created by John Powell of Powell Motorsports. Chevrolet built fifty-six identical Corvettes for the first year of the Corvette Challenge in 1988. Each was equipped exactly the same, with all standard equipment, the 245hp Cross-Fire fuel injection engine, Doug Nash 4+3 transmission, Z51 Handling Suspension package.

1986 – 1989 Guldstrand Grand Sport 80 (GS80)

When Dick Guldstrand introduced the GS80 series in 1986, the car was targeted specifically at Pro-Solo and autocross enthusiasts. He knew all about the needs of these groups, as he was a longtime provider of performance upgrades for the C3 and a direct supporter of a small team of racers from the Western Council of Corvette Clubs. Up to this point, Dick had basically been a tuner. With the intro of the GS80 he was venturing into the realm of small-volume manufacturing.

1988 Corvette 35th Anniversary Edition

While not exactly a "collector's edition" Corvette in its own right, it nonetheless has become a uniquely identifiable and collectible Corvette from the fourth-generation era. 1988 marked the 35th anniversary for Corvette, and so it was decided that Chevrolet should commemorate the milestone by introducing an anniversary-edition model. This anniversary car was the first of its kind in a decade, given that Chevrolet opted not to manufacture a Corvette in 1983.

1986 EX4607 (ZR-1 Prototype)

This is no ordinary C4 coupe, but a GM Engineering test mule with VIN plate EX4607 proudly displayed in the windscreen, built in 1986 to test all the new-for-1988 features. This actual car must have spent weeks pounding round the General Motors Proving Ground at Milford, Michigan with longer runs on the road, testing all the changes for a year which saw the C4 suspension, steering and brakes vastly improved.

1988 Callaway Corvette “Sledgehammer”

This Sledgehammer reached 254.76 mph at the Transportation Research Center (TRC) in Ohio and became the world’s fastest street-legal car for some time. It was built up by Reeves Callaway in Connecticut as an example of what was possible with the new ZR1 and and turbocharging its LT5 engine. The result was a 898 bhp coupe that still retained luxuries such as air conditioning and a radio. It got this power by using a NASCAR-spec block with Mahle pistons and a massive turbo.

1987 – 1991 Callaway Corvette B2K Twin Turbo

Offered from 1987 to 1991, the RPO-B2K upgrade was available from any Chevrolet dealer and also Callaway’s first major Corvette tuning program. Together, GM and Callaway made the upgrade package a Regular Production Order (RPO) which was the first time GM had outsourced such an option to a specialist manufacturer. It even had a factory back warranty. As the C4 updated, so did Callway’s program and by 1988, the B2K was pushing 382 bhp and 562 ft. lbs. of torque.

1988 Corvette Technical Research & Data

Dig into the numbers behind the 1988 Corvette and check out these hand-curated research papers and data-driven reports, including VIN information, production numbers, pricing/options, color samples, and more.

1988 Corvette Colors

Looking for information on the colors for the 1988 Corvette? Here you go.

1988 Corvette Engines

Looking for information on the engines powering the 1988 Corvette? Look no further.

A Guide to Every C4 Corvette Engine

1988 Corvette Market & Sales Data

1988 Corvette auction and sales area. We share upcoming auctions, recent auction results, cool 1988 Corvettes we find for sale and commentary on the current market for the 1988 Corvette.